In Barracks and Wigwam — page 137: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Ethers was a. lively polishing of arms and accoutrements, ~ and a hasty scribbling of letters home. The stables rang with clatter of hoofs and shrill neighing, as many hands saddled and bridled the impatient steeds for the march. In the quartermaster’s department half a dozen men dealt out rations of hard tack and flour, coffee and beans, to be stowed away in countless haversacks. Ammunition was freely distributed, and belts were loaded with ball cartridges. A swarm of troopers invested the sutler’s store, within and without, clamoring for pipes and matches, packets of smoking tobacco and thick plugs of — black navy. -From end to end of the officers’ quarters there were low weeping and fond embraces, as wives and A Messenger | pee the Prove eae children bade farewell to the loved ones who were start-_ ing on what would likely prove to be a long and danger- — ous campaign. There were plenty of passive on-lookers within the con- fines of the fort—troopers and infantrymen who were not under marching orders, and therefore envied their more fortunate comrades; packers and teamsters waiting for a chance to load the big wagons that would shortly follow with supplies after the flying columns; newspaper corre- spondents, who had been drawn to the scene from distant towns, as buzzards scent the location of distant carrion : scouts under orders to accompany the forces, and tnat- tached scouts in quest of appointments; grizzled couriers rolling quids of tobacco in their mouths, and women ana children whose dear ones were not to leave for the pres- ent. At one o’clock, half an hour after the receipt of the tid- _ ings, three skilled telegraph linemen started north with Sh an escort of ten troopers. --Their instructions were to find — ry ‘the b yreak j in. the pit, Brea TPopeaytls oan COMMEBBOKS.Co ‘co » 2 maa lt - be - ‘os 4 5" i &. ut 7 eas es i. Mote aan Ye agi 5 Ae) fe: ea ys Ha ‘tay : ‘5 - 2 Mm 74